Threadsize Calculator

June 01, 2011

An iPhone App capable of calculating the exact diameter of drill required for precise thread-creation operations has been developed by cutting tool specialist Dormer Tools. The "Dormer Tools Threadsize Calculator" has been designed by Dormer to help engineers and machinists quickly and accurately select the optimum drill diameter needed to create a thread.

Thomas Junfors, senior project manager at Dormer Tools, said: "When you want to create a screw thread using a tap, you first need to pre-drill the hole. There are formulae that can be used to calculate the recommended tapping drill diameter, but as there are numerous different types and standards of taps available, the recommended dimensions can vary, so it is crucial to get this right. The App takes the user through each of the various steps and factors to calculate the right diameter for you. The user inputs the size of their desired thread, selects the process and relevant standard and the calculator determines the correct drill size to use."

Dormer's Threadsize Calculator is free to download from the iTunes App store and is the first in a series of Apps set to be launched by Dormer.

A "Product Selector" App. which will promote increased productivity and efficiency by giving users personalised advice on the best cutting tool and operating parameters, is currently in development and is due to be launched in 2012.

Related Glossary Terms

  • tap

    tap

    Cylindrical tool that cuts internal threads and has flutes to remove chips and carry tapping fluid to the point of cut. Normally used on a drill press or tapping machine but also may be operated manually. See tapping.

  • tapping

    tapping

    Machining operation in which a tap, with teeth on its periphery, cuts internal threads in a predrilled hole having a smaller diameter than the tap diameter. Threads are formed by a combined rotary and axial-relative motion between tap and workpiece. See tap.